


Rose

by AndromedaofOthys



Series: April Writing Prompt 2016 [4]
Category: X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, Erik is Crushing Harder than a 12-year Old Girl, Language of Flowers, M/M, Poor Charles, Prompt Fic, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 11:59:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6469288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndromedaofOthys/pseuds/AndromedaofOthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For April Writing Prompt!</p>
<p>Modern AU.</p>
<p>Erik Lensherr is CEO of Ironheart Corp., and Charles Xavier his secretary. When on 1st of February a white-rimmed purple flower appears, Erik is forced to confront his feelings, and Charles finally finds courage to confess his.<br/>A heavy usage of Victorian Flower Language.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rose

It was the first of February, and Erik Lensherr, the CEO of Ironheart Corp., was frothing at his mouth. The reason? Someone left him a flower on his desk, with a card merely saying  _ Gloxinia. _ His targets? Charles Xavier and Emma Frost, his secretary and Vicepres respectively.

‘And you’re absolutely certain you saw nobody going in or out of my office?’ he asked Emma for the umpteenth time. Emma sighed, inspecting her nails.

‘Sugar, you’ve grilled both me and poor Charles for the last half an hour, asking the same questions over and over again.’ She blew her breath exasperatedly. ‘I didn’t see anyone because I was with you, and Charles was downstairs running errands for you.’

‘Can’t you two just run a telepathic scanner?’ Erik was at his wits’ end.

‘It’s against law, sir’, Charles murmured in his British accent. ‘ _ And _ company regulations. You wrote them yourself.’ Emma gave him a charming smile that somehow managed to look encouraging.

‘Say, Charlie’, blue-eyed man flinched at the detested nickname, ‘what is so special about Gloxinia? You blushed when you spotted her.’ The redness made its appearnce again.

‘Well’, he said quietly, ‘in Victorian Flower Language, it means  _ love at first sight _ . Someone must've been very much in love with Mr. Lensherr.’

‘And how do you know that, Mr. Xavier?’ Erik asked ignoring Emma's gleeful cackles.

‘My mother’ Charles replied. ‘She used to send bouquets every time she went to an upscale party, and I was usually the one who would order flowers and make bouquets according to what she wanted to convey.’

‘I still remember when she sent yellow carnations and hydrangeas to my father’ Emma snickered. ‘Father raged for days.’

‘Disappointment and frigidity’, Charles translated to his clueless boss. ‘I took special pleasure in choosing those particular flowers.’ Only now could Erik join their mirth: Emma's father certainly deserved that message.

‘Is there any way for me to learn it?’ Emma shot him an incredulous look.

‘Sugar, we live in 21st century. There's this thing called Internet. Go and Google it!’

 

The trend of appearing flowers continued during the whole week. As a result, Erik grew even more obsessed with finding out who was that mysterious person. After gloxinia followed white camellia ( _adoration, perfection_ according to ‘Net), red daisy ( _beauty unknown to possessor_ ), sprig of white ivy tendrils ( _anxious to please_ ) and love in the mist ( _you puzzle me_ ). So far, he managed to piece couple of facts together: it must've been one of his employees, and one with wide circle of friends, including IT and security department, because there was no incriminating footage on CCTVs on his floor, and quite desperately in love with him. It didn't make him feel any better. To top it off, when he came home for the weekend, he found mimosa ( _secret love_ ) in the pot and red carnation ( _my heart aches for you_ ) in elegant aluminium vase waiting for him on his doorstep. To say he was in foul mood when he got next day to work would be a vast understatement. The bright red camellia on his desk didn't improve his mood at all.

‘Xavier!’ He barked, waiting impatiently. After few long moments, the secretary scurried inside.

‘Yes, Mr. Lensherr?’ Erik gestured towards the innocent-looking flower.

‘Red camellia’, Xavier murmured intrigued. ‘ _ You're flame in my heart _ .’ And just like that, the cold-hearted boss of Ironheart Corp. softened, reddening slightly.

‘Damn you, whoever you are’, Erik hissed, forgetting for a moment his secretary’s presence. ‘Why can’t you just settle at being annoying?’

‘Mr. Lensherr?’

‘Nothing, Xavier. Please tell today’s not the day of meet-and-greet with Asshole Shaw.’ Charles smiled apologetically.

‘Sorry boss.’

 

After that little episode, Erik started going to work with slight anticipation - which flower would his admirer send him today? Naturally, he still had an ear out if he/she slipped, but it was merely an afterthought, put on a backburner. The following morning was in the sign of peach blossom ( _ I am your captive _ ), and if Emma’s reaction was anything to go by, he was disgustingly cheerful - both outwardly and inwardly. More accurately, she said: ‘ _ Sugar, stop being so disgustingly cheeful - you’re scaring people! _ ’ Wednesday brought a small bundle of vervain bound by satin ribbon ( _ enchantment _ ), and Charles seemed more relaxed then ever, smiling and joking with his co-workers, Erik noticed with slight pang of guilt. 

He vividly remembered his hiring; Emma called in her favor, telling him a good friend of hers was disowned from family for outing himself as a S-class telepath and he needed a job, pronto. Having just fired Angel Salvadore for leaking details of his company’s work to Shaw, Erik went to the interview still feeling pissed. The man in his office was barely phased, however: his charming blue eyes never wavering, he didn’t even bother with taking a peek in his head and announced :  _ you better get yourself together, Mr. Lensherr. We telepaths tend to reflect our surroundings’ state and trust me, you don’t want either Emma or I on fritz. _ He was so impressed, he instantly gave him a job, which he reluctantly accepted.

 

Thursday and Friday were gardenia ( _ you’re lovely _ ) and heart’s ease ( _ you occupy my thoughts _ ) days. Valentine’s day was fast approaching, and buzz on his floor was palpable. Darwin and Alex Summers could be seen huddled together, planning a romantic outing, Moira, Emma, Sean and Charles while being single enjoyed helping their colleagues in decorating, and Raven Darkholme and Hank McCoy seemed even more obvious in their awkward dance around their feelings, Erik thought wryly twirling purple-and-yellow heart’s ease. He personally had no plans for that day other than giving his mother a call, but he hoped quietly his admirer would send him a sign for them to meet.

‘Reflecting, Erik?’ Emma asked him, finishing her discussion with Moira over the shade of roses they will place around.

‘Not really. Just thinking about the whole Valentine’s day fanfare.’ Ema gave him a knowing smirk.

‘Hoping for your secret admirer to show up?’ Then she got serious. ‘Listen, this person is obviously too shy to come up and front and tell you about their feelings. You’ve got to give some sign as well.’ She turned around to Charles, cocking her head in a way that let Erik know they were communicating telepathically. ‘Think about it’, she threw over her shoulder as she went over.

 

Saturday found Erik in a dilemma: to open the door and find out what his admirer had to say, or to stay inside? His curiousity winning over, Erik opened the door to find a tangle of ordinary green grass and lemon grass in satin ribbon. Googling their meaning, Erik froze, breathing shallowly. With shaky hands he picked up his phone and speed-dialled Emma’s number.

‘Good morning sugar.’

‘Emma, I think I know who my admirer is.’

‘Oh? Do tell.’ Emma was hanging on his every word.

‘He sent me lemon grass and normal one.’

‘Homosexual love and submission’, Emma breathed. ‘ _ Charles _ . Of course. Leave it to him to wrap a declaration of love in a confusing package.’

‘Emma’, panic now entered Erik’s voice, ‘I’ve no idea what to do!’

‘Calm down sugar, I’ll help you.’ There was a slight rustling on the other end of the line. ‘Okay, I remember nutmeg geranium standing for  _ I expect a meeting _ so you can send him that, and for tommorow… well, red roses are usual, although lavender ones convey enchantment, and witch hazel a spell. You got that?’

‘Yes’, Erik muttered scribbling it down. ‘Central Park?’

‘Good choice’, Emma praised. ‘Now go and order your flowers: your lover-boy’s way too cute to let slip. And Erik? You hurt him, I kill you’, she said with sweet note.

‘Acknowledged’, Erik said absently ending the call.

 

The Valentine’s day dawned cold but sunny; perfect for a stroll in a park. Erik fidgeted nervously, glancing at his wristwatch every couple seconds. He wrote  _ Central Park, pond, 10 AM _ on the card accompanying geranium, and witch hazel and lavender rose scratched his right palm.

‘Erik?’ came a soft, familiar British-accented voice from behind him. Erik turned and nearly lost his breath. Charles was always beatiful, but dressed in sky-blue shirt and grey slacks, with red rose and magenta-coloured flower in his hand, he looked simply…

‘Perfection’, he whispered, native German accent roughening the word. Charles blushed deeply, his eyes wandering over the rose in Erik’s hand.

‘Enchantment, a spell’, he translated as German extended his arm. He offered his own rose. ‘Love, lasting affection.’ Erik couldn’t stand the pressure anymore; dragging him by his hand, he crushed him to his chest and planted sweet, close-lipped kiss on Charles’ cherry ones.

‘Do you know’, he whispered as they separated slightly, ‘that you charmed me the moment you told me off for my temper?’

‘No, but if it matters to you, you charmed me in that moment too’, Charles confessed breathlessly. Erik laughed.

‘ _ Gott im Himmel _ . We were so dense, weren’t we?’

‘No worse than Raven and Hank’, Charles playfully replied. The taller man snorted.

‘True. Now, I believe I owe you a dinner and a night to remember?’ Charles smiled wickedly.

‘The whole night, or just the evening?’ That comment earned him a nip on the full lower lip.

‘Tease’, Erik growled, and they went to the closest restaurant, hand in hand.


End file.
